Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

3.17- Is God prodigal? The word prodigal has a definition also of lavish with gifts. God is generous and He trains us to be generous. John 6. 6  After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). 2  A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the [ a ] signs which He was performing on those who were sick. 3  Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. 4  Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. 5  Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, *said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” 6  This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. 7  Philip answered Him, “Two hundred [ b ] denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.” 8  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, *said to Him, 9  “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves a

3.16- When it comes to living life in this world it is important that we are careful about how we treat those near and dear to us. Sometimes we can win the battle and lose the war. As we relate to our spouses, children, grandchildren, we can become judgmental and cynical and bitter and when they can support themselves without us they want nothing to do with us. Jesus said you can tell my people by the way they love each other. 1 John 4. 16  We have come to know and have believed the love which God has [ d ] for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17  By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear [ e ] involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19  We love, because He first loved us. 20  If someone says, “I love God,” and hates h

3.15- Exodus 20.7- 7  “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not [ d ] leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

3.14- Obedience has good consequences. Happiness and moral duty are inseperably connected. George Washingon Exodus 20.12 12  “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

3.14- My dad's birthday is coming up on March 13 so I wanted to post something a little early about my memory of him. My dad loved to talk and laugh and tell funny stories. He was a hard worker, but made a way to find joy in his work. He did not appreciate the people who told lies and made up big stories that weren't true. He called them "Wind Jammers". I'm sure he didn't want to be that kind of man. He got more quiet and reserved in his speech as he got into his 70's and 80' s it seems to me. We could ride for long distances to the Doctor's appointments with total quietness and he would make some observations about the weather or the wheat growth or "look at those beautiful horses." He sometimes would make observations about things in politics and life that were times that he had put a couple of things together that were wrong. At times he had an awareness that things were happening regarding national or lo

3.13- Evidence.  History is based on evidence.  Great characters in history are known by us because of the evidence researched by historians.  George Washington.  Abraham Lincoln.  Martin Luther King Jr. Why do we believe they existed because of evidence. A part of the evidence of the resurrection of Jesus is the way the clothes were lying around the empty tomb.  They made some kind of impression on those who looked at them. Luke 24. 12  But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he *saw the linen wrappings [ c ] only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.

3.12- When Jesus walked on the earth He said that He was going to suffer and be crucified and then He would rise again.  This is quite an assertion.  2018 is the years since his birth.  We mark this as the year because He said it would happen and it did. Luke 24. 24  But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2  And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3  but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4  While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 5  and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6  He is not here, but He has [ a ] risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7  saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

3.11- We resist good news.  Why?  Children are born with a drive to trust their caregivers and other loving people in their family.  At some point they come into contact with people who challenge them in good ways to make them better humans.  This can be a loving mother and father with good discipline.  It is speaking the truth in love.  As humans age there is something in their nature that is rebellious against their own best life.  One of these is the temptation to believe bad news instead of good news.  We need to overcome that. Luke 24. 24  But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2  And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3  but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4  While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 5  and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to th